Should I Study Medicine? 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Apply

By the end of Secondary Three, I knew with undying certainty that I would do Medicine.

This was in no way a spur-of-the-moment decision. I had set my heart on it only after finding out all the far-from-glamorous details. I vividly imagined (or tried to imagine) myself utterly exhausted after intense night shifts, suffering from burnout, committing grievous medical errors, and watching patients die in my hands.

I made sure I knew early on the realities of the profession. I made it absolutely clear to myself: this is going to be one of the most gruelling paths you will ever choose to take.

I think that’s what everyone who’s thinking of studying Medicine should do. Going into Medicine because you’ve always excelled academically and that’s where top scorers flock to isn’t at all judicious. Neither is doing so because you have an idyllic picture in your mind of what being a doctor looks like.

Here are five questions you can ask yourself in order to answer the ultimate question: Should I study Medicine?

1. Why Medicine?

This classic question will feature in at least one Medicine interview. While interviewers know you’re likely to be giving a partly (or entirely) scripted answer, they still want to hear it from you—and for good reason. It’s something you should be asking yourself even before you apply.

Take some time to reflect on it. If a significant part of your motivation derives from parental pressure or expectations of society, it’s a sign that you should probably let go of it.

Sometimes, it can even be subconscious. You may be setting expectations for yourself that are in actual fact largely influenced by external factors—parents, peers, society… If this sounds like you, then perhaps you should reconsider your choice.

My dad once told me, “If you derive more joy from drawing and doing art all day than putting yourself through medical school and working as a doctor, then go for it. Follow your heart.” (He’s using a generic example by the way, not describing me. I’m following my heart—by going to med school.)

2. Why not degrees other than Medicine?

Do you have other interests and passions? Other options that you’re considering?

If so, then this is a question that warrants serious deliberation. If there are other courses of study that appeal greatly to you, you should definitely include them in the picture.

What I find helpful is to gather all you can about what exactly it will be like to study and eventually take on a career in each course you’re interested in. Imagine yourself doing it for five, ten years, a lifetime… Would it make you leap out of bed each morning? Does it sound like the life you’d dream of?

Even if you’re devoted to helping others, there are many other ways to do so. It’s definitely not limited to the medical profession. I myself felt this when I interned at Pathlight School for three months, teaching and supporting children with autism.

There are a multitude of ways to live meaningfully, to devote yourself to work that aligns with your innate compassion. Medicine is just one of them.

3. Do I know what studying and practising Medicine is really like?

One of the most important things you must do before you apply is to gain a realistic view of what you’re signing yourself up for.

Attending talks and events can give you some idea. Work experience is of course the best way to gain first-hand insight. Reading books by doctors and health care workers add on to that understanding.

The point is to never go in blind. I believe you will never know if something is for you until you’ve seen the worst of it. So, even as you are discovering the great rewards that a career in Medicine can bring, also try to find out as much as you can about the most gruelling and undesirable aspects of it.

Ask yourself, am I ready to take on all that pain? Is this something I am willing to struggle for? If your answer is an unwavering ‘yes’, it shows something, doesn’t it?  

4. How much (money) am I willing to sacrifice to study Medicine?

Cost should not be a major factor influencing your decision to pursue Medicine. If you are truly passionate, whatever expenses along the way are an investment in yourself and your future.

There are just some financial realities that you should take note of, particularly with regard to local versus overseas Medicine:

The tuition fees for Medicine are much higher that of most other university courses.

Even for local university fees, generously subsidised, the amount we pay each year is higher than what other students pay for their entire course. Multiply that by five years and you’re in significant debt.

Just to give you a quick idea, here’s a summary of NUS and NTU tuition fees (2020-2021) for Singapore Citizens:

At overseas medical schools, tuition fees climb to unthinkable levels. 

There is NO financial assistance for studying Medicine overseas.

Medicine is a course whereby every country will prioritise their own citizens exclusively. Other than the limited places for overseas applicants, international students are also not eligible for scholarships, financial aid or study loans.

Here’s a glance at the tuition fees (2020-2021) for several UK medical schools, for international students:

The numbers above do not even include the college fees (for certain universities such as Oxbridge) and living expenses.

To sum up, considering tuition fees alone, studying Medicine in Singapore will cost under S$175K, while doing so in the UK will cost over S$400K (more than double the amount).

There is financial assistance for studying Medicine in Singapore.

Moreover, if you study Medicine in Singapore, you are free to apply for scholarships (limited), bursaries, financial assistance schemes, and study loans. (This is one of the reasons why local Medicine is the top choice for most Singaporeans.)

For financial aid, you typically submit your application together with your online application to NUS or NTU. (Click on the respective links for more details.)

5. Do I have what it takes to study Medicine?

I hesitated to include this last question. Please understand that this should not act as a deterrent to you pursuing your aspirations, but rather, a realistic assessment of your own suitability for a highly rigorous course of study.

The reality is that Medicine is one of the most competitive courses out there. Currently, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine accepts 280 students each year, while NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine takes in 150. Every single one of those 430 students are selected from the top of their cohort.

Strong academic performance is really the first step.

While seniors have said that a University Admission Score (UAS) of 87.5 is the cut-off, I suspect that most who are eventually accepted have a perfect score at the A Levels i.e. 90.

Just look at the Indicative Grade Profile (IGP) for both NUS Medicine and NTU Medicine: AAA/A for both the 10th and 90th percentile.

Grades are not everything, of course. There are other requirements and traits that the admissions teams are looking out for.

Medical schools seem to be looking for an impossibly perfect individual.

This comes right from the Oxford Medicine “Selection Criteria” page:

While that list looks somewhat intimidating (are medical students forbidden from having any flaws?), they are indeed qualities a good doctor should possess. They are what will get you through the tough years of medical school and clinical training. They are what will, essentially, make you a good doctor.

You may also find it instructive to google “qualities of a good doctor” and so on. Sometimes seeing if those qualities are reflected in yourself can help you determine whether or not Medicine is the right choice for you.

From what I gather, leadership, teamwork and communication skills are always high on the agenda. So are empathy, compassion and altruism—which sort of express the same idea, no matter which word you use. Resilience and the capacity for difficult, sustained work is often sought-after as well. (My future posts will show you how you can display these qualities through your portfolio, personal statement, and the interviews.)

Ending note: Medicine is not the only path

Remember, it is never about you “not being good enough” or anything. It may simply be that Medicine is not the path for you. Sometimes you’re destined for greater things.

Have a question? Leave a comment below, or drop me a message anytime. I read and respond to every message and email.